Robert Dudley WRIGHT
Birth: 18 Jul 1852 Trimble Co., Kentucky
Death: 7 May 1880 Trimble Co., Kentucky
Burial: Hoskins Cliff Cemetery, Trimble Co., Ken
Marriage: 29 Jul 1873 Trimble Co., Kentucky
Father: Robert WRIGHT (b 26 Jul 1810)
Mother: Catharine S. HOSKINS (b 9 Nov 1815)

Wife: Hannah Kaye PRIEST
Birth: 28 Nov 1854 Louisville, Jefferson Co., Kentucky
Death: 2 Mar 1934 Louisville, Jefferson Co., Kentucky
Burial: 4 Mar 1934 Evergreen Cemetery, Louisville, Jefferson, KY
Father: Ferdinand Bullitt PRIEST (b 9 Nov 1824)
Mother: Lydia M. KAYE (b Dec 1829)

Children

1 M Lieutenant Edgar Wallace WRIGHT
Birth: 22 Dec 1878 Trimble Co., Kentucky
Occupation: bet 1913-1937 Louisville Police Department
Death: 9 Dec 1937 Louisville, Jefferson Co., Kentucky
Burial: 12 Dec 1937 Evergreen Cemetery, Louisville, Jefferson,KY
Gravesite: Section 12, Range 5, Grave 39 (no marker)
Spouse: Lillian Orlena VARBLE (m 16 Aug 1899)

2 _ Infant WRIGHT
Birth: abt 1879 Kentucky
Death: bef 1880 Kentucky

FAMILY NOTES
Marriage(1): First marriage for both Robert and Hannah. Marriage took place at Ferdinand's house.
Marriage Notes for HANNAH PRIEST and ROBERT WRIGHT:
MARRIAGE BOND
The Commonwealth of Kentucky
Be it Known, That we......R D Wright......as principal, and......F B Priest...... as surety, are jointly and severally bound to the Commonwealth of Kentucky, in the sum of One Hundred Dollars.

The Condition of this Bond is as follows: That, whereas Marriage is intended to be solemnized between the above bound......R D Wright......and......Hannah Priest...... Now, if there is no lawful cause to obstruct said Marriage, this Bond shall be void, otherwise it shall remain in full force and effect. Dated at Bedford, Trimble County, this......28......day of......July......, 1873.

R. D. (by his X) Wright
H. B. Priest
Attest:
J. W. Lee, Clerk, Trimble County Court.

HUSBAND NOTES: Robert Dudley WRIGHT
Birth: This writer assumes that Robert was named after his great uncle, Robert Dudley Milner. Son of John and Margaret Dudley Milner.
Burial(3): Tombstone reads: Gone but not forgotten.

WIFE NOTES: Hannah Kaye PRIEST
Birth: 1870 Trimble Co., Census has her place of birth as Kentucky. This information was later confirmed by Karen Mansager who is researching the Priest line. Death(4): Hannah died from acute appendicitis. Also noted on her death certificate that she suffered from Hypertensive heart disease since 1928. At the time of her death she lived with her son, Edgar at 623 Western Parkway.

General(5): Hannah was the neice of William Kaye, making her Emma Kaye Wright's cousin.
Emma and Hannah married brothers William A. and Robert D. Wright.
Jennifer Heitzman's grandfather remembers his great aunt as a "fine woman that was good to everyone". She and her husband ran a grocery store in Okolona.

CHILD NOTES: Lieutenant Edgar Wallace WRIGHT
Birth(6):
Occupation(7,8,9,10): On October 24, 1913, Edgar received a letter from the Board of Public Safety requesting that he report to the office on October 27th for "inspection and examination relative to becoming a member of the Police Department." On that day he was appointed a member of the department and "instructed to report to the Chief of Police for duty." A certificate signed by "three citizens of good character, and residents of the ward in which the applicant resides" was filed. In part, this certificate states that each of the signees "has known the said Edgar W. Wright intimately and well for the past three years, and is qualified to speak intelligently in relation to his character and habits, and states and represents that the said Edgar W. Wright is a man of good moral character, correct and orderly in his deportment, and not in any respect a violator of law or good order; that he is a man of sober, temperate, and industrious habits; that he is not addicted to the habitual use of intoxicating liqours, or other hurtful excesses." This certificate was signed by John Gruber, Ben. J. Sand, and William E. Holley. All were residents of the 12 Ward. Edgar lived at 2711 Cedar Street at this time. His previous occupation had been listed as laborer at a public warehouse for two years. At the time he reported having a wife and three children, no prior military service, and never being treated by a physician. He weighed 148 lbs and height was 5 ft 9 inches.

On his annual Policeman's Bond for 1914, Edgar reported his address to be 2335 W. Chestnut St. In 1918, the Chief of Police sent a note to the Board of Safety, informing them "to the debts contracted by Patrolman E.W. Wright." An inventory was found, written on a brown paper bag, listing the following: Pay Meat Licence $25.00; Get milk licence; Edd. Wright Patrolman owes $66.78 to W.H. Brightman, 2400 Cedar, Grocer.

He was appointed Sergeant on 30 Jun 1923 and Lieutenant on 4 Aug 1928. On February 6, 1926, Edgar filed an accident report with the Ashland Substation stated that "Horse fell with me in front of the above place, dislocated my left shoulder, was taken to City Hospital." His horses were named "Billie" and "Kelly". Info as I received it was that Aunt Billie got her nickname from her Dad who called her Billie after one of his horses.

In the Louisville City Directory, Edgar was listed as a Sergeant 1925 and in 1930 he was listed as a Lieutenant. A letter in the file dated August 18, 1927 indicated that "the Board unanimously made the following demotions in the Police Department" in which Edgar was listed among the names of 10 Sergeants who had all been demoted to patrolman. It is unknown at this time by the researcher what incident occurred to warrant such action. This was followed on August 20th by a hand-written note by Edgar stating "I here by tender you my resignation to take effect at the expiration of my vacation August 30th, 1927." On November 22nd, 1927, a letter was submitted which recommended reinstating all but four of the original 10 to the rank of Acting Sergeant. Four days later, these same men were recommended to be promoted to the grade of Sergeant.

In 1931, Edgar moved from 981 So. Preston to 823 So. Western Parkway. In January of 1934, Edgar was transferred from the Traffic Division to the First Police District. In a letter dated December 10, 1937, John M. Malley writes to the Director of Safety "I am writing you relative to the death of Lieutenant Edgar Wright, Fourth Police District. Lieutenant Wright died 12-9-37 at 3:28 p.m. while on duty at the Fourth Police District from a heart attack. He had been in the service of the Louisville Division of Police for 24 years, having been appointed October 27th, 1913. Lieutanent Wright served about three years of his time in the Traffic Bureau, working under the late Captain John M. Loran, and the rest of the time was spent in the various districts. He had a good record and during his period of time in the department lost but few days account of illness. Funeral services will be held from the Schoppenhorst Funeral Home, 19th and Market, Sunday, December 12th at 2 p.m., with interment in Evergreen Cemetery."

Additional information about his service in the department was found in a newspaper article that was printed after his death: "Lieutenant Wright joined the force in October of 1913 as a patrolman. He later became a sergeant, was once demoted, resigned and was re appointed a sergeant again. In 1928 he was elevated to the rank of lieutenant. For a number of years he was associated with the late Capt. John Loran in the Traffic Bureau." In total, Edgar had over 24 years of service with the department.

In a newspaper article supplied by Mary Alice Snyder there was a story regarding a Charity Horse Show: "Sergt. E.W. Wright of the Mounted Squad of the Louisville Police Department and Capt. James J. Carroll supervised the training period. Sergeant Wright will ride his mount, Kelly in the ring for the policemen".

Death(11,9): Edgar's picture appeared in the newspaper when he died. The article reads as follows: "Police Officer Dies - A member of the police force since 1913, Lieut. Edgar Wright, 58, of 623 S. Western Pkwy., died of a heart attack shortly after reporting for duty Thursday afternoon at Fourth District headquarters, 28th and Main. Dr. John W. Kremer pronounced him dead at 3:30 p.m. As he walked into the station, he remarked to Lieut. Edward Metcalf, "I'm a sick man." He was persuaded to lie down, and lapsed into unconsciousness. The police emergency squad worked vainly over him for twenty-five minutes. Surviving are his wife, Mrs. Lillian Wright; a son, Leo Wright; a daughter, Miss Emerald Wright; and nine grandchildren. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday at the residence." Cause of death, coronary occlusion. General(12,7): In 1889, at the age of eleven, William A. Wright, Edgar's uncle, became his legal guardian. On 23 February 1900, Edgar was appointed legal guardian of Lillian, his wife, a minor.

SOURCES

1. Marriage Bond. page 95.
2. Trimble Co., KY Cemetery Book.
3. Sara Diane Sanders. Westport Kentucky.
4. Death Certificate. #09650 (on file).
5. Jennifer Heitzman ggggranddaughter of Mary Priest Jones
6. Louisville Police Personnel Record. Report of physical examination.
7. Caron's Louisville Directory.
8. Bob & Barb Blumenberg.
9. Courier Journal.
10. Louisville Police Personnel Record. Have complete work record on file.
11. Death Certificate. #31468 (on file).
12. Trimble County Guardian's Bond.

Prepared 29 Dec 2002 by:
Tina M. Lentz
1954 Richmond Dr.
Louisville, Kentucky 40205
Email - tml731@bellsouth.net

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